Call me a liar
by Tatsurou-san
Summary: Inspired by a BBxRae youtube video to the song I'd Lie. Someone new arrives in Jump City who has a influental connection to BB from his past. Rated T to be safe.
1. An Unknown Threat?

1. An unknown threat...?

"So, that's him..."

The person in marine camoflauge stared through the sniper scope. The target: a green boy with pointed ears, green eyes, and the ability to change into animals. He was currently playing frisby with a large young man who appeared half metal, and a boy his age dressed in traffic light colors. Nearby, a girl with orange skin...floated in the air watching them, cheering them on.

"He's made some interesting friends...and he's changed so much..."

The marine tightened the grip on the rifle. Suddenly, there was a voice from behind.

"You have exactly three seconds to-"

Spinning, the marine turned towards this unexpected ambush.

Raven had come up behind the person pointing a sniper rifle at Beast Boy, barely containing her rage at this threat to her friend. "You have exactly three seconds to-"

Suddenly, the marine spun and slammed the butt of the rifle into her face, knocking her back and making her fall to the ground. Before she could react or gather her magic, there was a boot knife at her throat, right under her chin and practically breaking the skin.

"No spells now." Raven looked up at the marine when she heard that...femenine voice. The face she saw was...somewhat familiar. She saw dark brown hair and crystal blue eyes, staring down at her in determination and without fear, surrounded by pale skin. "Now, why did you sneak up on me, hmm?" Judging by the voice and her movements, Raven estimated her to be about 26 or so...and deadly.

"Why were you pointing a rifle at Beast Boy?" She may have a knife at her throat, but if this woman was a threat to Beast Boy, she'd soon regret it not being silver.

"Is that all?" The woman laughed. Then she tilted her head. "Be seeing you." She tugged at something on the back of her pack...and vanished. The sniper rifle lifted off the ground before vanishing as well.

"Okay...she has an invisibility cloak..." She winced. *Damn you, Rowling. Every time I talk about ordinary magic now, I sound like a superfan.* Grumbling, she sat up, and saw a green wolf rushing up to her.

Beast Boy changed back to normal. "Raven! Are you okay? What happened? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, Beast Boy." She stood up. "I...I tripped, that's all. What made you think anything had happened?"

Beast Boy looked at her, then reached out and touched a spot on her neck. She focused all her willpower on suppressing the blush that wanted to erupt on her cheeks. He pulled his hand away, and showed her a spot of red on the tip of his glove.

"I smelled your blood, Rae, and tripping didn't put that small a cut on your neck." By then the others had arrived, and were demanding explanations.

Staring at the drop of blood, Raven shivered, then told the others what had happened. They reacted more or less how she had expected.

Robin had gone full overprotective mode, insisting they return to the tower immediately.

Cyborg wanted to hunt down the 'psycho chick' who was trying to hurt his 'best buddy.'

Starfire was incensed, shouting in Tamaranean about what she would do to this military woman when she had tracked her down for hurting her friend.

Beast Boy had been worried at first. But when Raven had described the woman, he had gone very quiet. He didn't say anything on the way back to the Tower, and his emotions were in such turmoil that Raven couldn't learn anything.

Whatever was going on, it was more than it appeared. But Raven would be damned more than she already was if she'd let anyone hurt Beast Boy.

...SHe pointedly pushed from her mind the motivation behind this sudden protectiveness, ignoring the protests from the voices of her emotions in her head. 


	2. Surprise visitor

2. Surprise visitor.

Beast Boy was lost in thought. The person Raven described...it couldn't be her! She was supposed to be dead! He didn't know how to feel about this. All the old emotions swirled around in him, blotting out thought or reason.

"Beast Boy!"

Robin's shout brought him back to himself. "THe Monkeys!"

Robin raised an eyebrow. "Were you paying attention at all?"

"Umm...maybe?"

Robin glowered at him. "Beast Boy, this woman was pointing a high powered sniper rifle at you. SHe was trying to kill you! Not paying attention now might just get you killed!"

"Easy Robin."

Beast Boy turned towards Raven in surprise.

"Whoever she is, she knew enough about us to catch us all by surprise...and she seemed to know Beast Boy, which means it's someone from his past, probably. How would you be acting if a threat from your past showed up here all of a sudden?"

Robin listened, then calmed down. "Beast Boy, is this true? DO you know who this is?"

"Yes...no...I don't know, maybe? ...she's supposed to be dead..."

"And to top that off, Robin, it's a ghost of his past. Maybe just once, you could get that bird-a-rang out of your butt and easy on him?"

Everyone stared at Raven. Starfire was the first to speak. "Friend Raven, you are being most rude...and most protective of Friend Beast Boy. Tell me, what has brought this on?" The look in her eyes, though, said she had a good idea what the answer was.

Raven was glad her hood was up, hiding her blush. "SOmeone just tried to kill him. I'd rather OUR behavior not make that look like the pleasant option." Everyone continued to stare at her. SHe crossed her arms and 'hmmph!'ed. "If Beast Boy had made the bird-a-rang comment, you'd have thought it was funny."

Suddenly, Beast Boy cracked up laughing. "Good one, Rae!"

Just this once, she'd let that slide. "Thanks, BB."

THey arrived at the Tower, and Cyborg stopped them. "The security system's been disabled. Someone's inside."

THey prepped for battle, and went in saw no sign of anyone until they reached the common room - which took 20 minutes, at the cautious pace they were setting.

When they entered the common room, Cyborg went in first, sonic cannon prepped and ready to open fire...on the hottest babe he'd ever seen!

The young woman had ditched her marine uniform over the couch, and was leaned up against it drinking a soda. She was wearing a black sport top and sport shorts, which just emphasized her generous curves and well toned arms, legs, and flat stomach. Looking at her, he thought that girl Sarrasim from the ancient past had somehow come forward in time and gotten her hair colored. Other than the chestnut brown, she could easily have passed for Sarrasim's sister...only hotter!

The others came in, stepping around Cyborg's puddle of drool. Robin stayed in defensive stance. Starfire floated, starbolts ready. Raven hovered, drawing her magic around her, ready to strike. Beast Boy...just stared.

The young woman finished her soda, and crushed the can in her hand before tossing it into the recycle bin. "Sorry. I let myself in." She pushed herself off the couch and looked at BB. "I know I used to call you sprout, but last time I saw you...I'm pretty sure you weren't green, Garfield."

Everyone turned to Beast Boy at the use of his real name. He stepped towards her, his eyes unbelieving. "...Helena?"

SHe nodded, and held out her arms to him. He ran forward and threw himself into her embrace, crying. She laughed as she swung him around. "SO how's my baby brother doing, hmm?"

THere was a loud crash as the rest of the team simultaneously facefaulted. 


	3. Explanations

3. Explanations

When everyone got over their shock, the reactions were about what can be expected.

Robin immediately jumped on Beast Boy. "Beast Boy! WHy didn't you ever mention you had an older sister? Or that you gave her the codes to let her in?"

"Er-I didn't-"

"Or that she was so hot!" Cyborg said, still drooling. Helena giggled at that.

Starfire flew forward to put her into a crushing embrace. "Hello elder sister of-"

Starfire wa stopped as a pair of knives appeared crossed at her throat before she could put Helena in a hug.

"-my friend Beast Boy?" she finished nervously.

Beast Boy laughed while everyone stared. "Helena! She just wants to hug you!"

Helena flips her wrists and the knives vanish. "Sorry. Reflex action." She grabs Star and puts her into a crushing embrace that rivalled her own. "Didn't realize you were such a huggle bug."

Starfire giggled. "Wee! I am a bug of the hugs!"

As everyone started to relax, Raven spoke up with barely contained anger. "None of this explains why you were pointing a sniper rifle at Beast Boy."

Helena shrugged as she released Starfire. "I lost my binoculars. I wasn't gonna shoot my baby brother, if that's what you're worried about. Besides," she picks up the rifle and pops open the chamber, revealing it was empty, "I ran out of ammo for it a year ago."

"Then why do you still carry it?" Raven was mollified...slightly.

"Because it makes an excellent close range weapon, doubling as bo-staff, club, and weighted staff." She grins. "As you discovered, I might add. Sorry about that."

Raven huffs. "WHy did you hit me, anyway?"

"Umm, dude!" Beast Boy speaks up. "You snuck up on and startled a concealed marine sniper. How did you expect her to react? Look what she did when Star tried to give a surprise hug?"

Raven glowered at him. She knew he was right, but he didn't have to rub her nose in her error by taking her side. "Forgive me for caring whether you lived or died! Next time I won't bother!" SHe turned and made to storm out of the room, but came face to face with Helena. How did she move that fast.

"Hey, I know the sprout has some issues with his mouth, but that was uncalled for. I thought you were his friend."

Raven doesn't face her, but she floats back into the room. Noticing the hurt look in Beast Boy's eyes, she feels ashamed.

Cyborg, trying to lighten the mood, asks an interesting question. "Hey! Where'd you pull those knives out of? And where'd they go?"

Helena smirks suggestively at him. "Someday, Terminator, I'll sit you down and draw you a diagram."

Cyborg turned bright red, and everyone laughed.

Helena turned to Beast boy. "So tell me sprout...why are you here? For that matter, why are you green? And where's Mom and Dad?"

Seeing the pained expression that crosses Beast Boy's face, Raven turns to the others. "Let's give them some privacy." Without waiting for a response, she warps them all - minus BB and Helena - to the gym, disabling the cameras in the common room on her way out. 


	4. Adjustments

4. Adjustments

Helena had not taken the news well. Beast Boy had put her into a guest room, and let her cry herself out. He was still adjusting to her being here, being alive.

Not that he was unhappy with it, far from it. It had been just after the death of his parents that he had gotten the letter. She had been deployed, and was MIA, presumed dead. For a few years, since no body had been found, he had hoped she would show up, but Mento had taught him to be more realistic, to grieve and move on. And now she was here.

How did she survive? Where had she been all this time? Why hadn't she come for him sooner? His mind was full of so many questions, but he would wait to ask them.

Cyborg was working in the garage, trying to get control of his thoughts. Yes, Helena was smoking hot. Yes, she was a marine sniper, which by definition made her rough and tumble. And yes, she hadn't shown any shock or squeamishness regarding his half metal body. But she was BB's big sister, and best friends didn't flirt with each other's sisters!

Then again, he thought of Raven as a little sister, and he KNEW BB had feelings for her. It was so obvious he was surprised he and the others hadn't staged an intervention by now...or at least a match-making attempt. Then again, it was Raven...

Not that there was anything wrong with Raven! Far from it. SHe just...didn't seem like the type to go for romance...especially not with someone like BB.

Then again...there was that time with Malchior...and afterwards, he did see Raven hug BB before throwing that Stankball when they parted. And Raven got pretty intensely protective of the Grass Stain when she thought someone was trying to kill him. And there was how she reacted when he laughed about her skirmish with Helena. And Helena had intervened there...

So maybe there was something there after all. And if BB was gonna pursue Raven...maybe it wouldn't be so bad if he asked Helena out. I mean, she was closer to his age group then most of the girls he knew. He was 24 after all.

No wait! Someone who was like a sister is one thing, but Helena was BB's own flesh and blood. But she was...

Cyborg proceeded to bang his head aainst a wall.

Starfire sat in her room, wondering what was going on. Her friends were behaving strangely. Cyborg had looked at Helena the way he normally looked at a huge piece of meat or his T-car...but the emotion was different. Raven had reacted so strongly to Beast Boy's behavior. And Robin...

Ever since Helena had arrived, Robin had seemed...down. She could not understand his depression, and wished she could help him. But all he did was withdraw to his room and look at old newspaper clippings showing a circus troop - 'The Flying Greysons' - and sigh sadly.

And then there was Helena herself. Her combat reaction...even though she had only human strength, she would have been readily welcomed as a Tamaranean warrior. In hand-to-hand ground combat, she could probably give Blackfire a run for he money, if she had that saying right. But at the same time...when she saw the expression on Beast Boy's face when she had asked about their parents, she had looked so...vulnerable.

Starfire cuddled Silkie, hoping for a way to help her friends.

Robin looked at the picture, sighing sadly. It wasnt fair of him to be jealous of Beast Boy's luck, having some of his family return to him, but...he was.

He also began to identify a bit with Beast Boy. He had known the changeling was raised by the Doom Patrol, but he had never wondered before what that meant about the green teen's own family. Now he realized...Beast Boy must be an orphan, just like he was.

*Maybe Raven's right,* he thought, staring at the image. *Maybe I am too hard on him.* He glanced towards another picture, a happier one. It was the one taken when they had left Tokyo. *After all...we are family now.*

Raven sat in her room, meditating. Unfortunately, appearances to the contrary, she was not alone. A rather lively discussion was going on in her head.

*Wh did we act like that towards Beast Boy?* Happy asked. *It hurt him so.*

*He turned against us!* Rage proclaimed. *He took her side, and laughed at us!*

*SHe's his sister!* Affection stated. *And he thought she had been dead for years! We can forgive him that.*

*Besides, he was right.* That was Brave. *We took on a trained marine sniper as if they were an ordinary crook. Of course we got our ass handed to us. Might be interesting to take her on in a fair fight, though.*

*This is all irrelevant.* Knowledge spoke with authority. *There is a new variable in our lives: this Helena, Beast Boy's older sister. She is most likely going to be invited to stay with us in the tower. We will need to adjust our behavior to take her into account.*

*She...seemed nice,* Timid spoke up.

*SHe smashed us in the face!* Rage roared.

*DON'T YELL AT TIMID!* Happy shouted back.

*She was a hot bitch, that's for sure.*

*Shut up, Rude. We did not ask for your input.*

*All of you, shut up!* Raven wished she had a headache medicine that worked for these arguements, but even her herbal tea didn't help that.

*The best plan of action would probably be to get to know her better,* Wisdom said, smoothing things over. *However we feel about her, she will have a big effect on Beast Boy's behavior, and we should try to make a good impression on her.*

*Why?* Raven asked, surly.

The silence in her head was profound as he emotions were obviously looking at her like she was crazy.

*You can't still be in denial,* Rage said. *I could have sworn you would have accepted it by now. I have.*

* I have no idea what you're talking about,* Raven said, stopping her meditation. She ignored the echoing shout of *Liar!* from all her emotions.

She decided to take a nap.

Helena finally cried herself out. It was a lot to take in. After a decade just trying to get back home, finding out her parents were dead the entire time had been...hard to accept.

Wiping away the last of her tears, she looked at the rest of the issue. Her baby brother was all grown up...and a superhero, from the sound of it. She was impressed. She never knew the sprout had it in him.

And this team he had, his friends...they were a job and a half! A cyborg, an ex-sidekick, an alien princess, and a half demon! The kid sure knew how to pick winners. And with the way he looked after the dark girl...it seemed there was something going on there.

She had read the team's disposition towards her. They probably intended to ask her to stay with them. While she didn't have her own place, she didn't want to freeload. She couldn't really join the team, since she doubted if she could keep up with them in crime fighting. Besides, they fought to subdue...and she had been trained to kill.

But then again, with how easily she had subdued Raven, and caught Starfire by surprise...maybe she could be their combat instructor. If they fought supervillains as often as Garfield - no, she should call him Beast Boy now - claimed, they could use it. She had a few tricks up her sleeves, and that Robin fellow looked like he was always eager to learn something new.

And Cyborg...he seemed nice. And she had noticed the way he had looked at her, not that she was surprised. Every man in her unit had looked at her that way after the incident with the showers. Although she had never pursued a romantic relationship before, Cyborg seemed...different. And she didn't mean physically.

Well, one thing was sure. They'd have questions for her, and she needed to answer them. Reaching into her pack, she pulled out her journal. Shed kept a written record of these past ten years, mostly because she had trouble believing her own memories. 


	5. The Telling of Tales

5. The Telling of Tales

Everyone gathered in the common room at Helena's request. She sat there, dressed in civis of a t-shirt and jeans. In her hands she held a leather bound book that looked like it was on the verge of falling apart.

"Well, everyone, I'm...pretty sure your all wondering what happened to me. Where I've been all these years."

"I sure am," Beast Boy said. "I got the letter about days after Mom and Dad...you know."

Helena winced. She knew what letter he meant. "Well, the truth of the matter is...I don't know where I was exactly. All I can tell you is that it didn't look anywhere like Earth."

Starfire looked up. "It might not have been Earth, then. There are other worlds out there."

Helena nodded and set the book out. "There were some...strange people there. It was some sort of arena. The ones running it had tech like I'd never seen before. And...I was there as a gladiator. The one in charge called himself...Mongul. I've been fighting there for the past 9 and a half years. I...didn't enjoy what I had to do there." She shook her head. "I was trained to kill, yes, but as a soldier...not for some jumped up dictator's entertainment!"

She sighed, then continued. "I wasn't exactly...the best behaved gladiator there. They tried to punish me a few times for breaking out of my cell." She smirked. "Key word tried. At first they tried whipping me, but I was able to withstand that. Then they tried giving me to one of the male gladiators for 'entertainment'." Her grin now was mirthless. "After cleaning up what was left of him, they never tried that again. I'm glad to have seen the last of Warworld. Even if I did manage to swipe some useful tech." Out of her pack, she pulled a cloak and a glove. "The cloak Raven's seen me use. It's a dimensional phase weave in the fabric, which when activated, phases me ever so slightly out of this dimension so that light passes right through me and whatever I'm caarrying. The glove scans any palmprint security system and reflects whatever data was last used to manipulate it. It's how I got into the tower."

Cyborg whistled, staring at the tech. "Got anything else in there?"

Helena grinned and winked. "A few things. Mabye I'll show you some day."

Starfire was frozen in shock. "How horrible it must have been for you..."

Helena nodded, then shrugged. "I was a bit too busy surviving to worry about it. Probably have a few years with a good psychologist coming to get over it, once my system realizes it's over."

Robin watched her carefully. "How did you escape?"

Helena shook her head. "Mongul's bounty hunter - the one who brought in his gladiators - a guy named Jonah Hex, brought in Batman, and he busted everyone out." She shook her head. "Never thought I'd get to meet a hero like him...let alone come back to find out my baby brother's in the same league." She smiled at BB, and he got embarrassed.

Starfire spoke up. "RObin, is not the Batman the one who trained you?"

Robin nodded. "He is. I was his sidekick for a time."

Helena raised her eyebrow. "How'd you stand it?"

Robin laughed. "I take it you got to talk with him?"

"Too much."

Everyone shared a laugh. Then Raven spoke up.

"You said you were there for 9 1/2 years...where were you the rest of the time?"

Helena laughed. "Batman used the device that brought everyone there to send them all back to their proper spatial coordinates...which for me was exactly where I was grabbed from, 9 1/2 years later! I've spent the past half year trying to get back to civilization, only to find out my passport expired while I was away!"

They shared a laugh. Robin spoke up. "Well, Helena, I think we'd all apreciate it if you stuck around for a while." Beast Boy was nodding so fast his head might fall off his neck.

Starfire glomped onto Helena. "Oh, yes new friend! Please say you will stay!"

Helena laughed. "Sure...why not?" 


	6. Training Sessions

6. Training sessions

*Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!*

Raven groaned. "Go away..." she grumbled.

"Come on, Raven! The sun's almost up! You gonna sleep the day away? You get the first solo session with me!"

Raven grumbled and groaned. Glancing at the time, she realized that 'the sun's almost up' was a gross exageration. It wouldn't be up for at least two hours. Then again, when Helena had offered to teach them all some marine combat techniques and some hand to hand she'd learned on Warworld, she had volunteered to learn. She hadn't liked getting her ass handed to her so early. SHe staggered to the door. Opening it, she said, "It's way too early."

"Not really," Helena responded. "It's half past four. If you were in marine training, you'd have been up for a couple hours already!"

She had no right to be so chipper this early. "Let's get this over with." She stopped when Helena didn't move. "What?"

"YOu gonna train like that?" Helena asked, pointing. "Not that I mind, but the others get to come in and watch the later segment."

Raven glanced down, and realized she was still wearing her sleep wear. Blushing, she ducked back into her room and changed into her unitard. She stepped back out. "Alright, let's go."

In the gym, Helena took a nuetral stance. "Alright, if I'm going to train you, you can't use your powers. Each time I see that black energy, it's 10 laps around the gym."

Raven quirked an eyebrow. "Really? That seems harsh."

"That's only the first ten times. After that, it's ten laps around the tower."

Raven's eyes went wide. "Right."

"Whenever your ready, try and hit me."

Raven nodded, watched Helena carefully...and charged in.

She found herself upside down against the opposite wall. "What just happened?"

Helena pulled out a small holo-display. "Cyborg made me this." She pressed a button. It showed Raven charging Helena. Then it slowed down. Helena grabbed Raven's outstretched fist, slammed a punch into her gut, then used the combined momentum to flip her over her shoulder and send her flying against the wall.

Helena explained what happened. "You made three mistakes: you overextended yourself; you underestimated yourself; and you didn't brace yourself for a counter attack." Helena extended a hand to help her up. When Raven took it, she found herself flying across the room again. SHe managed to land on her feet this time, though.

"Fourth mistake; you thought the testing had ended." As Raven's irritation peaked, a light exploded. "Ten laps."

Sighing, Raven ran the laps. If nothing else, this might improve her control of what Beast Boy called 'her power fits.'

When she finished the laps, Helena nodded. "Right. THis time I'll be attacking you. Try to defend. DOn't worry, I won't go all out."

Helena threw a few quick punches and kicks, and Raven managed to block each of them. As Helena continued to press the attack, she smirked. "If you think you can slip one inbetween my defenses, feel free to try."

"I'd rather not go flying again just yet, thanks," Raven replied drily.

"Well, normally I'd say if you can talk and fight, you aren't fighting hard enough, but maybe you can answer some questions while we do this."

"Like what?"

"Like what you think of my brother?"

Raven slipped her guard, and Helena's punch took her across the jaw. "Geeze, you okay?"

Raven rubbed her jaw, letting her natural healing abilities hasten it. "I'll be okay. I heal quick. WHy'd you ask that?"

As they continued to spar, Helena explained. "Well, he's a teenager now, which means he's got the raging hormones, not to mention whatever his powers have done to that. This means he's bound to start trying to date, but I'm a little worried - what with him being green and all - that he might get hurt."

"Anyone who used that as the only means to judge him isn't worth his time."

Helena looked at Raven oddly, and Raven realized what she'd just said. Blushing, another light broke. Pointing to the wall, Helena said, "Ten laps."

Sighing, Raven went to run. As she ran, she felt Helena's eyes on her. Glancing back, she saw Helena had a rather...inscrutable look on her face. She was pondering something, but she didn't know what. Without thinking, she stretched out her mind to pick up stray emotional impressions from her.

"Get your mind back where it belongs. Next time you try to poke around my head or heart, you can run the laps dressed how I found you this morning."

Guiltily, Raven withdrew. "How did you know what I was doing?"

"One of Mongul's favorite gladiators specialized in psychic combat. He was the only one I ever lost to, and being a favorite meant he got away with not killing. I learned to sense when someone was probing me, and how to defend myself against it."

"Really? What was your most effective defense against a mental attack?"

"A gun butt to the jaw."

They shared a laugh. Raven finished her laps. Raven was breathing heavily at this point.

Watching her carefully, Helena nodded. "Hit the showers, Raven. You're done in for the morning."

Nodding gratefully, Raven turned to leave.

Smirking, Helena called out, "Barring a mission, we'll pick this up again this afternoon." She chuckled as she heard Raven's groan.

Helena went over to the pull-up bar and hoisted herself up on it, thinking. It seemed the dark empath had a soft spot for Garfield. And from the way the sprout talked about her, he liked her a lot, but was convinced he didn't stand a chance with her. Now...how best to make this work.

"Umm...Helena?"

She turned. Starfire stood in the doorway. "Yeah, Star?" she said, hopping off the bar.

"YOu said I could come to learn combat this morning."

Helena grinned. Now here were possibilities. "Sure thing, Star. Come on in. And as long as you're here...think you could help me with something?"

"I'd be delighted! What can I do to help?"

"See, it's about my brother and Raven..." 


	7. Smoking is bad for your health

7. Smoking is Bad for Your Health

Helena stood on the roof of the Tower, looking out over the early morning sky. The sun wasn't even close to coming up yet.

It had been a couple of weeks since her discovery of Raven's feelings for her little brother, and things hadn't gone well. Three seperate attempts to get them together had proven not only fruitless, it had strained their friendship. First Starfire had suggested Beast Boy should serenade Raven. Good idea...poor execution. THe song "Poison" was a terrible choice, and led to Beast Boy being thrown across the harbor and Raven locking herself in her room for a few days. Then there had been arranging to leave the two of them alone on a group outing. Both had left early, locking themselves in their rooms and not talking to anyone for days. Then the fake love notes. Helena had gotten Cyborg to write the one from BB to Raven, while Star had written the one from Raven to Beast Boy. Both had caught that they were fake, and they'd had to reassemble Cyborg after fishing him out of the garbage disposal, and RObin had had to comfort Starfire after BB had gotten done yelling at her for 'toying with his heart.'

Sighing, Helena reached into her pocket, and stared at the small white cylinder in her hand. Chuckling, she stuck it in her mouth and lit it. *Death sticks...what a name...* she thought, inhaling the hated fumes. Taking it out, she blew a ring of multi-colored smoke, watching it shift in the darkness. Nothing so malevolent had the right to be so beautiful.

She heard footsteps coming from behind her. "Stay out of the smoke," she said without thinking. "This stuff'll kill you."

Raven stepped into sight out of range of the smoke. "That's not tobacco," she said simply.

Helena smiled mirthlessly. "Nope. It's how Mongul finally got me under control back on Warworld. He put me on a week long leash."

"What do you mean?"

"This?" She holds up the cylinder. "It's called a Zorthian Death Stick. A rather insidious poison, actually. When you first inhale the smoke released when it is burned...it alters your internals ever so slightly. A week later, your muscles lock up, your veins burn, and you drop dead...unless you get more of it into your system." She waves the stick casually. "I stole a supply when I escaped Warworld. Nobody's up this early usually, so I come up here to smoke one Saturday morning. The smoke disipates and becomes harmless rather quickly."

"So...each smoke gives you another week to live? Cyborg could probably make more-"

Helena shook her head vehemently. "The manufacture of this stuff gets you an immediate death sentance from the Green Lantern Corps. After all, it's only possible use would be binding someone to your will, since short of total genetic revitalization on the divine level, there's no cure or treatment." She took another drag. "As much as I want to cling to life...I won't destroy someone else's life in the process." She blows the smoke out slowly. "Besides, this stuff tastes terrible."

Raven's quiet for a while. "How much...I mean, how long..."

Helena nods. "If I stretch it for every possible minute like I have been...five years, tops. Then I'll be otu completely, and in for a very painful death." She sighs. "But I'll be happy if I make it long enough to hold Garfield's first born, if only for a little while."

"Is that why you've been trying so hard to get us together?"

"Not at all." Helena takes another drag. "I know how much he loves you, cause I read his diary. So the question is, do you love him." As Raven opens her mouth, Helena turns to her. "DOn't lie to me. I'm living on borrowed time as is."

Raven closes her mouth, then hangs her head. "I do...I do love him, but...we could never work. We're just too different..."

"I wouldn't say so. Besides, how will you know if you don't give it a try?"

Raven looked at her. "What are we supposed to do for a date, anyway?" Raven seems perturbed.

"Well, what do you like for your spare time?"

"I like it to be quiet, for one thing."

"SO find an environment he would enjoy where he'd want to be quiet. You're clever. I'm sure you'll think of something."

They were quiet for a while. "So," Raven spoke up. "Five years?"

"On the outside. Don't tell the sprout, okay? Life's been hard enough on him as it is."

"Don't you think it will be harder on him when you drop dead?"

"If you insist, you can tell him then. As long as I haven't left him alone...I'll be able to deal with however he feels about the secret then."

They were quiet a while longer. "So no cure?"

"None." FInishing the stick, Helena flicked the dogend away, and it dissolved in the ocean breeze, erasing all evidence of its existance. "COme on, enough depressing talk. It's time for your training session."

"Will you let me off if I ask Beast Boy out?"

Helena looked at her, then smiled. "Only if he says yes."

Raven warps into the building. She hears Helena shout after her, "But that's still ten laps!" 


	8. You're not Alone

8. You're not Alone...

Raven walked through the woods side by side with Beast Boy. Beast Boy, of all people. He carried a picnic basket slung over one arm, and he kept glancing towards her, as though he couldn't believe this was really happening. Not that she could blame him.

Flashback to that morning...

Raven pounded on Beast Boy's door, wondering what she was going to suggest, and wondering how she was going to do this. She ran out of time as he answered.

"Za? Whozat?" The door slid open, revealing Beast boy in just his Mega Monkey boxers. "Raven? What's up? What time is it..." He turned to look at the clock.

Raven spoke before her mind worked through the thought completely. "The last couple of weeks have been kinda rough between us."

"Yah...sorry bout that...last time I trust Star for romance advice," he mumbled sleepily.

"So I was thinking..." She cast her mind around for an idea, and noticed the sun just starting to come up. "It looks like it's going to be a nice day. Maybe we could go on a picnic? Just the two of us?" She fiddled with the hem of her cloak, resisting the urge to pull up her hood to hide her blush.

"Huh? Yah, that sounds good..." Beast Boy nodded slowly. Then his brain caught up with what just happened, and his eyes popped open. "Raven...did you just ask me on a date?"

Bright red now, Raven could only nod.

Beast Boy stared at her, mouth opening and closing. Her eyes wandered, and she couldn't help but notice that despite his seeming frailty he was quite fit.

Following her eyes, Beast Boy saw his state of undress, shrieked, and slammed his door. He popped it open just a tad. "10 o'clock sound good?"

She smiled. "Yes."

End of Flashback...

And now they were walking through the woods, heading to a spot Beast Boy said would be perfect. She wondered if their ideas of perfect would be the same or not. THen the trees parted and she gasped.

They were at the peak of a cliff face overlooking the ocean. The waves were just barely a background sound, and the sun glimmered off the wavetops. Surrounding a space just big enough to lay out the blanket was dense forest with animal life here and there, birds singing in the early spring morning.

"Beast Boy...it's beautiful! How did you find this place?"

"The seagulls told me about it." He spread out the blanket. "Shall I serve you?"

She sat down as he brought the food out. He'd spent the entire morning once he was dressed preparing it. She glanced over, seeing him work in his white polo shirt and gray pants. He almost looked like a hard working farm boy. She shook her head to clear it of that image. She didn't even LIKE Princess Bride. ...not that much, anyway.

Glancing down at herself, she examined her own outfit. The pale lilac dress wasn't all that impressive, with thick straps holding up the shoulderless garb. It folded up around her knees as she sat down on her sandals.

She looked up as BB handed her a sandwich. Glancing into it, she discovered to her surprise that it wasn't tofu, but chicken salad. She took a bite, bemused, and her eyes widened. "THis is really good," she said, surprised.

"I'm glad you like it," he said with a chuckle, pulling out a tofu sandwhich for himself. "Just cause I don't eat meat doesn't mean I don't know how to prepare it."

"You're just full of surprises," she murmered, enjoying her sandwhich.

In addition to the sandwhiches, he had a thermos of her tea, some chips, and a cheesecake. She was amazed, but decided not to say anything. SHe just enjoyed the meal in silence.

When they finished eating, they leaned back against a tree. She watched the waves and the birds. SHe noticed one male songbird being especially ecstatic with his song. "I wonder what he's singing about..." she mumbled quietly.

Beast Boy shifted slightly, his ears twitching. "It's spring, he's trying to attract a mate." He points out a female songbird nearby, who was watching the male intently. "Her over there. He's making her all sorts of promises...most of which he'll probably break before the season's out."

She blinked, taking this in. "Does she know?"

"Of course. This isn't her first mating season."

"Then why would he go to him, if he's just going to betray her?"

"He might not. He might stay loyal. And even if he doesn't...a songbird's life is rather short, too short to wonder about what if. And as much as betrayal would hurt...it would be far worse to not love, to be alone."

They sat there in silence for a while. "Garfield...I don't want to be alone anymore."

He smiled at her. "You aren't. You have me."

She looked up at him. "Promise?"

"I promise. Can you accept me?"

She's silent for a while. "Only if it's forever."

He nods. "As you wish." He leaned towards her.

CLosing her eyes, she leaned in...

On the cloaked T-ship, out over the ocean...

"And we have liplock!" Cyborg crowed as he observed the 'date' from the telescopic recorder.

"I feel most guilty for doing this," Star said. "Is it not wrong to spy on our friends in their time of joy?"

"I'm with Star," Robin said. "I don't think we should be doing this."

"Will you both relax? It's not like they're gonna find out if we don't tell them. Besides, I promised Helena I'd get their first kiss on film for her." *No clue why she wants it, though,* he thought, as he saved the footage. 


	9. Danger Looms

9. Danger Looms

It had been a month since Beast Boy and Raven's first date, and things had been going wonderful. They had really hit it off, and while opportunities for further dates hadn't been forthcoming, they were enjoying spending time together. Occasionally, Raven would join Beast Boy in playing video games - although she wasn't very skilled - and quite often Beast Boy would sit reading with her.

The tower had actually gotten kind of quiet, aside from regular complaints about too many villains. Even Robin and Starfire were having problems finding time for each other. Robin was bound and determined to find out what was behind the increase in villainous activity.

Cyborg had been trying to catch Helena's eye. While his antics had been hilarious, she had insisted that she 'just wanted to be friends.' While not entirely true, she didn't want to get him hung up on her, given her condition.

Then one day, when everything seemed perfect, the alarm went off. Everyone raced to the common room, and the screen displayed a familiar face.

"Hello, Titans. It's been too long."

"SLADE!" Robin snarled. "What do you want?"

"Nothing to do with you, Robin, so be a good little boy wonder and keep your mouth closed while your betters are talking." As Robin strangled on his rage, Slade turned his one eye to look over everyone. "It's been a while, Raven."

Raven replied with a suggestion that Slade do something anatomically improbable with a goat, with the implication that it wouldn't be his first time doing so.

Slade chuckled quietly. "Your mother should wash your mouth out with soap...if she still had hands to do it with. But no, she's dead isn't she?"

Raven flinched back, and Beast Boy stepped in front of her. "Leave. Her. ALONE!" His last word came out half a growl as his pupils narrowed to slits.

"Ah, yes, if it isn't BEAST Boy. Tell me, does Raven keep you on a leash now? Or does the Beast behave now that you're a couple?"

Beast Boy flinched back. "How...how did you know about that?"

Slade chuckled. "I have many ways of finding things out...but tell me something, Beast Boy. The women in your life...how many have died?"

"What!"

"First your mother, dying so you could live...and then Terra, the same...how long do you think it will be before Raven meets a similar fate...because of you?"

"SHUT UP!" Beast Boy smashed the screen.

Slade's voice came through the speakers. "Temper, temper, Beast Boy. Or are you just an animal...on a leash?" Slade chuckled. "I'll be seeing you...Garfield." The signal cut.

Beast Boy leaned over, staring at the wall. Robin turned to Cyborg. "Tell me you were able to trace that!"

"Negative. He's the same tricky bastard as always."

"DAMN!"

Raven went up to Beast Boy. "Don't worry, BB. We won't let him win. And I'm not feeling any symptoms of incipient mortality."

Beast Boy breathed heavily. "I know...it's just...damn him." Tears fell down his cheeks.

Helena had vanished. 


	10. Who Will Die

10. Who Will Die

Slade sat in his lair, watching the footage he had...acquired of the young green Titan who was the focus of his current interest. He watched that...other form rampage, taking the rest of the team apart. He watched that same creature easily dispatch the minions of Trigon the Terrible.

"Interesting..." he mumbled. "Such power hidden in such a pathetic man-child. But what brings it out? He obviously does not have control..."

He noticed that the Beast - as the Titans called it - was always angry when it rampaged. "Rage, is it? When I spoke with him earlier, he showed remarkable strength even in his human form when he became enraged. But what is the trigger..." He noticed the commanality. "Raven? But why would she be the trigger?"

He turned to his latest acquired footage. Beast Boy and Raven, laying back against a tree overlooking the ocean. "They do make a cute couple...could that be it? His primal instincts made manifest to protect his mate? That would explain a great deal...but how to put it to use..."

His phone rang. He paused the footage and stared at the phone. That was odd. He didn't give this number out to anyone, and it was blocked from caller ID with the most advanced technology available. Out of curiousity, he picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

The voice on the other end was distorted through a scrambler. "Slade 'Deathstroke' Wilson?"

Ah, that explained things. He was wanted for a job. "Speaking? I take it you have a job for me of some sort?"

"You could say that. I understand you have a plan in motion regarding the Teen Titans?"

This disturbed Slade. He kept his mercenary life seperate from what he did in his spare time...completely seperate, he thought. "What is your interest there?"

"I have my own plans for the Titans. Yours interfere with them. I would ask you desist."

"Really? And what would my payment be?"

"YOur life."

Slade stood up. He did not like being threatened. "Who are you?"

"Call me Oneshot."

"Oneshot..." Slade thought for a time, idly strolling through his lair. "I haven't heard that name for a while..."

"Ten years, I'd expect."

"...You seem to know quite a bit about me."

"...Tell me, who will mourn for you?"

Slade stopped in his tracks. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Just idle curiousity."

Slade spun on his heel. "I'm not sure I like the tone you're taking."

"It seems you won't listen. A pity. I always did like brown eyes."

Slade's eye went wide. "What?"

"Goodbye, Sergeant." *Click*

Slade glanced down at the phone...and saw the red 'X' he was standing on.

"Clever girl," he said, remembering, and glanced upward.

A hole appeared where his eye had been, and his body rocked backward. THen his head exploded.

An hour earlier...

Helena stared at the round. The last round for her sniper rifle. SHe had been saving it for Mongul, should he ever come after her again.

It was a special round, made from recombinant energy. SLightly unstable. It had two triggers to it: a metal impact, and a biological impact. The metal impact - from being fired - would prime the bullet. When it impacted something biological, it would explode, leaving no trace of the bullet or what had caused the explosion.

When she had trained with the Marine's as a sniper, her Drill Sergeant had taught her, "The best killers leave no trace." Glancing down at the number in her hand, she smiled to herself.

It would do her old teacher proud, she thought, to be terminated by the student who had surpassed him. His last thought would be of her, and the name he had given her.

Helena 'Oneshot' Logan. 


	11. Relationship Issues

11. Relationship Issues

The Slade investigation had hit a dead end. Criminal activity had died down, no one knew anything about what had happened, and there was no sign of Slade...anywhere. No contact, no robots, no dramatic appearances or cryptic clues. Nothing.

Robin was perplexed, but happy. If Slade had truely dropped off the radar so totally, then they didn't need to worry about him anymore. As he put it, theu got more than enough training dealing with regular villains, and anything they might go up against in the future from him they could easily handle. As such, he focused his attention on his growing relationship with Starfire. Starfirewas most appreciative of his attentions.

Beast Boy and Raven also took advantage of the lull, trying to find more date activities they could do together that appealed to both of them. Unfortunately, it was rather difficult. There were a lot of things Beast Boy liked to do that Raven didn't, and vice cersa. They weren't about to give up though. They just had to be a bit more...creative. For some reason, the resy of the team found this assertion to be rather disturbing.

Helena, however, had her own problems to deal with, and lacked the time and energy to stick her oar in (Much to BB and Raven's relief, should the truth be known.) Cyborg had been avidly flirting with her, suggesting repeatedly that they get to know each other better. WHile she liked him, she knew her time was limited. She didn't want him to pin his future on her, and she didn't want to just play with him either.

Finally, she knew she couldn't put it off anymore, so she sat him down to talk with him.

"Cyborg, I don't think it would be a good idea to pursue any sort of romantic relationship between us."

Cyborg blinked at her for a bit. "Why? I like you, and I'm pretty sure you like me..."

She waved a hand. "It's not like that, Cyborg..." She sighed, trying to think how to spin this. "Cyborg, supposing we did. Where do you see the relationship going?"

He thought for a time. "I don't know."

She looked at him, somewhat confused.

He gathered his thoughts. "When...when the accident happened...when I became, this," he gestured to his cybernetics, "I lost a lot of who I was, who I could be." He sighed. "For one thing, I'll never be a father...not the natural way, at any rate. For another...well, let's just say it's mostly mechanical down there, and leave it at that, okay?"

Helena nodded. She got what he meant. "I see..."

"So, you see, even if I wanted to pursue a romantic relationship all the way - you know, settle down, have kids, raise a family, all of that - I wouldn't really be able to. So...all I can really look for, not to be crass...is a good time. Living fully, I guess you'd call it."

Helena was lost in thought. "So, even if we did pursue something like that...it could never really go anywhere?"

"Yeah...I guess you're right. I wasn't really thinking. I can't give you what you need in a relationship-" He got up to leave.

She grabbed his arms. "Wait, Victor." He turned when she used his real name. "The reason I was saying that it wouldn't work between us...is because for my own reasons, I can't give you what I thought YOU needed...from my end. Neither of us, it seems, can have a real relationship that has a future to it."

"You can't? Why not?" Cyborg sat down, confused and curious.

Helena sighed. "You know that old wive's tale about Death knowing when you're going to die based on the sand in your hourglass?" Cyborg nodded. "Well, metaphorically speaking, I've seen mine...and I watch the sand slipping away, and there's not much left."

Cyborg stared at her. "So...you know how long you've got left?" She nodded. "And there's no changing it?" SHe shook her head. He sighed. "And you would rather not tell me how you know?" She nodded. "Why?"

"Because you're my little brother's best friend...and I don't want him to know."

CYborg sat there, thinking. "Alright. I won't tell him. But at the very least," he took her hands in his, "let me try to help you enjoy what time you have left. I won't have any regrets doing that."

She stared at him for a while. "I guess I seriously misjudged you, Astro. Thanks." She stood up.

"Where are you going?" he asked, confused.

"Dancing." She glanced back over her shoulder. "I'll need to change first, though. Care to join me?" SHe headed to her room without waiting for a response.

Cyborg ran to his room and grabbed up his holo-rings. Activating them, he stared in the mirror at Victor Stone. "Boo-yah," he said quietly, grinning from ear to ear. 


	12. Time Has Passed

12. Time Has Passed

Helena fished around in her bags and pulled out her last stick. This was the end of things, huh? One more week, and then...

Going up to the roof of the Tower, she lit up and let her mind wander, thinking back over everything that had happened in the past five years.

She and Cyborg had had a great fling. It had lasted two years, and then they decided to go their seperate ways romantically. WHile it had been great fun, there was only so much of that you could do...before it began to lose meaning. Helena was okay with that. At least her death wouldn't destroy him, as it might have had they still been dating.

Beast Boy and Raven had finally tied the knot. It was called the wedding of the century. It had been hard to find a priest to marry them, but they'd managed. In the end, J'honn of the Justice League got ordained to perform the ceremony. Raven had asked Cyborg to walk her down the aisle and give her away, which left Robin as the Best Man.

Helena had done her part to make sure the wedding went off without a hitch. SHe'd been a part of the pre-security team, making sure anyone who might cause trouble was under lock and key before the wedding began. It had been a beautiful ceremony, and she couldn't be happier for her baby brother. She idly shook her head when she thought that. How old would he have to be before she stopped thinking of him as the baby brother, she idly wondered. But she knew the answer. One more week.

She gazed out at the rising sun. She had acclompished all her goals in life. Well, almost all. There was just one more, but would she make it long enough?

She heard slow, shuffling footsteps on the roof behind her. "Keep out of the smoke, it-"

"I know," Raven responded. "It'll kill me."

Helena turned and smiled at her sister-in-law. Then she looked down at her swollen belly. "It's getting close, is it?"

Raven gave her a sad smile. "She's due next Saturday, early morning."

Helena raised an eyebrow. "How can you be so exact?"

Raven smirked. "Magic." Then she frowned. "I...I don't know exactly what time, early Saturday morning..."

Helena smiled sadly. "Meaning, you don't know if I'll still be alive when she's born." Idly, she flicked the dog end into the air, watching the last of her borrowed time dissolve in the air. "We'll just have to trust to luck and fate, then."

"I'm sorry. I'll explain it to Gar when-"

"No. I've wrote him a letter. It's with my will." She smiled. "Cyborg will see to it it's read according to my instructions."

Raven quirked an eyebrow up. "Cyborg's your lawyer?"

"What? He's a good one."

"I should know. He's mine, too."

They stared at each other. And laughed. Nearby, a light popped in a sheath of darkness.

Helena smiled sadly at Raven. "Ten laps, girl. I thought you'd gotten control of that."

Raven sadly embraced Helena. "I'm gonna miss you."

Helena hugged her back. "Me too, kid. Me, too." 


	13. The Mercy of Death

13. The Mercy of Death

"COme on, Raven, you can do it! Just push! Push!"

It was almost time. Raven had gone into labor just a few hours ago. The entire team was gathered around her, her family. She struggled with the delivery. It wasn't as easy as it should have been, and her unique physiology meant epidurals simply weren't an option. Not that they were dangerous, they just wouldn't work.

As Raven was pushing, trying to bring a new life into the world, Helena was also breathing heavily. She could feel her muscles beginning to lock up. Her time was coming, too. She struggled to hold on...just a little longer.

*Please,* she prayed to anyone that would listen, *let me last long enough to hold her in my arms...just once.* Her muscles burned, and her blood seemed to feel like fire.

Raven let out a scream as she gave one last titanic push.

Helena's vision suddenly changed. The world was still there, but the corners of her vision filled with a purple aftershadow, like an afterimage without an original image to leave it. The heat in her body suddenly ceased, as though a cold more intense than anything filled her, driving out any possibility of warmth. Her muscles relaxed. At the outermost edge of her hearing, she heard a bone chilling, rattling sigh.

Then she heard a small cry. The doctor handed Raven the squalling infant. "Congratulations," the doctor said. "She's a beautiful baby girl."

"Just like her mother," Garfield said happily, kissing Raven on the cheek. Raven smiled, cradling her baby, then turned to Helena.

"Do you want to hold her?" she asked, gently extending the fussing child.

Smiling, Helena took the tiny infant into her arms. She stared down at her brother's first born, and knew the wait had been worth it. "What's her name?"

Raven smiled. "Helena Arella Logan." Garfield smiled, nodding.

Helena stared down at the baby that now bore her name, and smiled. Garfield held out his hands for his daughter. As Helena handed her over, he said simply, "Animals can smell death, sis." When she looked up at him, he smiled sadly. "I'll miss you."

She smiled at him...and fell.

She looked down at the fuss the doctors made over her body, mildly perturbed. "The dramatic timing was wonderful...did they have to ruin it with all this fuss?"

DOCTORS OFTEN DISLIKE ME, SEEKING TO PRESERVE LIFE BEYOND NEED, a voice that was beyond sound said to her in tones as ancient as time.

She turned and stared at the man in the flowing black robe that floated in the air beside her. "You're..."

I HAPPEN TO EVERYONE, EVENTUALLY. WHILE MANY DIE ON THEIR OWN TERMS, I MAKE A PERSONAL APPEARANCE FOR THOSE WHO'VE EARNED IT.

The world around them started to fade, and Helena took one last, sad look down at her family. "Will...will they be alright?"

THEY HAVE MUCH TIME, AND ALL THEY COULD HOPE FOR TO SPEND IT WITH. YOU LEFT THEM THAT.

Helena chuckled. "True." She glanced sidelong at the robed figure. "YOu know, you're not exactly what I expected."

The hood fell back, revealing a skull with blue light emanating from the sockets like stars. HOW SO?

Helena laughed. "Actually, you're exactly what I believed you'd be...which surprised me. Isn't it against the rules to give someone extra Time?"

Death looked away, seeming embarrassed. TIME WAS STOLEN FROM YOU. I THOUGHT IT ONLY FAIR TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE EXTRA. IT'S NOT LIKE YOU WERE ASKING FOR MUCH.

She quirked an eyebrow that she no longer truely had. "Won't you get in trouble fro breaking the rules?"

THE GODS ARE FAR MORE FORGIVING THEN I IN THESE MATTERS. AND THEY ARE LOVERS OF A GOOD DRAMA.

Helena laughed. "So what happens now? Shouldn't my form be dissolving as the morphogenetic field dissipates, or something?"

IT SHOULD. BUT YOU DON'T REALLY WANT TO GIVE UP YOUR FORM, DO YOU?

Helena shook her head. "Can you blame me?"

Death looked at her. He'd been around a long time, and while he lacked certain necessary equipment to truely appreciate human beauty (glands, and the like), he had learned to recognize it. BY TODAY'S STANDARDS, YOU ARE QUITE LOVELY.

She laughed. "I wonder what my afterlife will be like?"

Death leaned on his staff as his horse trotted up. THAT, he said in a voice thick with the mischef of an ancient god - which he was not - IS ENTIRELY UP TO YOU.

Helena looked up at the horse. It was not skeletal. It was a flesh and blood white horse with a name imprinted on its harness that read 'Binky.' She laughed. Reaching out, she placed her hand on the handle of the scythe, right next to Death's skeletal one. "I'm sure I'll think of something," she said laughing.

Death grinned, and while that was the only expression his skeletal face could assume, this time it seemed he truely meant it. 


	14. Epilogue: Enter the Reaper

Epilogue: Enter the Reaper

Helena Arella Logan - called Beastling by her peers in the hero community - raced through the city at night in her most powerful form. Her parents didn't know about this form: they'd be worried if they did.

She had inherited the full spectrum of powers from her parents: magic and demon power from her mother, shapeshifting from her father. Her skin was the pale green of the dawn of spring, her eyes pools of liquid amethyst. She had her father's pointed ears, and her mother's face. Her hair was prismatic, changing colors with the seasons: green in spring, golden in summer, flame red in autumn, and snow white in winter.

As she came to a halt at the peak of a tall building, she stretched her adolescent frame. Gazing down at the city through her four red eyes, she shook her beastly form. SHe reveled in the power it gave her. Flexing her muscles, she spread huge, bat-like wings and took flight.

Gliding hither and yon through the nighttime sky, she reveled in the sheer power and elegance of her heritage...until she noticed someone keeping pace with her.

He was a young boy, a little younger than her. He had blond hair and pale features. He had a Sword strapped to his waist, and a strange device on his wrist that resembled an hourglass on a watchband. He was riding a white horse that raced through the sky in defiance of all natural law.

When she came in for a landing, the horse landed beside her, and he hopped off. SHe changed back to her human form regretfully. "WHo are you?" she asked. "And how did you do that?"

He glanced at the device on his wrist, running his finger over it. "Helena Arella Logan?" He asked her courteously.

"My name's Beastling," she said angrily. She was only Helena to her family, after all.

The boy nodded. "My name is Mort. You may call me Reaper, if you prefer." He smiled at her, a familiar smile. "It is good to finally meet you, cousin."

She blinked for a while, then asked simply, "What?" 


End file.
